Shopping for Good Cause at the Grand Palace

Thousands of tourists flock to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Grand Palace every day. With exquisite Thai architecture, it’s one of the most visited tourist attractions in Bangkok, and perhaps Thailand too. It’s hard for anyone who comes to Thailand as a tourist to miss a visit at this landmark. Indeed, the place also has a little gem that only a few people know about. It’s a great place to showcase and sell traditional Thai handicraft products. And it’s for good cause.

The Museum Shop is part of the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, which has an exhibition of textiles from Asian countries with a special emphasis on the textiles of, and related to, the royal court and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. It is located in the 19th century white Italian style building just inside the outer wall of the Grand Palace, to the right of the visitors’ entrance gate. Besides museum-related books and gifts, it is the retail venue for handicraft products made by members of the SUPPORT Foundation.

Initiated by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the SUPPORT Foundation (The Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques) was founded in 1976 to help rural Thai people, especially farmers, to have the means to support their families with supplementary income. It also aims at reviving, preserving, and cultivating Thai folk arts and crafts. The foundation teaches and trains proper arts and crafts techniques, sourcing raw materials and needed equipment, and buying finished products from farmers as well as finding markets locally and internationally.

Located on the museum’s ground floor. It offers a wide range of traditional and newly designed products, including home decorative items, cotton and silk fashions and accessories, jewelry, books and stationery. By purchasing the products, you will contribute to the sustainable livelihood of SUPPORT members around the country. The products are quite reasonably priced, well designed and of high quality.

Opening Hours

9.00–17.00 daily (except when the Grand Palace is closed for Royal events)

Location

The museum is in the Ratsadakorn-bhibhathana building, near the main visitors’ gate at the Grand Palace.

The museum is accessible by buses and taxis. To get there by boat, take the Chao Phraya Express boat and get off at Tha Chang pier. Walk toward the main road and you will see the entrance of the Grand Palace.